Don't Use Telegram.Posted by Hitler_Was_Right in Tech
Comments
AWiggerInTime wrote (edited )
use some random free XMPP Server to register at
Any recommendations? It turns out that it's hard to find a server with open registration which is fairly stable and keeps history.
And the client is smooth and simple.
We call it simple, others call it spartan. If XMPP won't work then try Matrix, the bridge argument usually works.
sh3r wrote
Use Signal Instead
GadgeteerZA wrote
Signal requires our phone numbers to register and is in the USA. Threema, Wired, Wickr Me, and Jami are probably better.
sh3r wrote
I think they need more development I tried Jami but it was too bad for me to use I am not in USA so I think Signal will do the trick for me but you got a point
BlackWinnerYoshi wrote
The phone number requirement is a problem, but the fact that it's from USA is not. E-mail especially suffers from this.. How about those IM?
- Threema requires paying 3.99 CHF (3.69 EUR, 4.34 USD), but at least you can pay with Bitcoin (but not Monero).
-
Wire
dcan't be used with the Tor Browser because it blocks local storage, but maybe you can use Pale Moon with Proxy Privacy Ruler and the domain set to proxy through Tor? You can't pay for the Pro/Enterprise account with a cryptocurrency, but at least a phone number is not required in any case. It also doesn't use Clownflare, but I'm not sure about downtimes. - Wickr has been acquired by Amazon, so that doesn't sound good... but at least Tor works, I think. I have no idea if you can pay with a cryptocurrency, though, but it's not required. It doesn't have Clownflare and it didn't go down since last 90 days.
- Jami is probably better to use over Tor, considering it's P2P, so your IP could be seen. There's no payment or personal data required. The website doesn't have Clownflare and there's no downtime because it's P2P.
Maybe I'd need to analyze these apps more (including paying for Threema, but who uses it?), but I think Jami would be the best from these.
GadgeteerZA wrote (edited )
Video shows this banner at the top so not sure if that is going to be there soon?
"Instance has been shadow banned and delisted from PeerTube network. Will be shutting down in shame shortly"
Actually proposing XMPP though as an alternative is just as bad, as by default XMPP does not have OMEMO or other E2EE on by default. Telegram is one of the few mainstream messengers though that does let you hide your phone number from all other users. My reality is that although I'm on many networks such as Threema, Wickr Me, XMPP, IRC, etc I only have one or two of my real life friends / family there...
BlackWinnerYoshi wrote
The original is actually at Luke's Videos PeerTube instance, the Based PeerTube instance is simply playing the video from that instance, which is kind of annoying when using uMatrix, but at least youtube-dl still works, which is what matters the most.
As for the shutting down message, I have already prepared for it and saved metadata from all of its local videos I could find with the sitemap.xml (which looks like it only includes 1624 out of 1640 videos? Also, when downloading a deleted video, the description and the JSON info gets downloaded, the video doesn't, and the thumbnail does, but really it downloads the error about turned off JavaScript). I haven't downloaded the videos because I don't have 543.8 GB of storage left, only 177 GB, besides, the Internet Archive (where I want to upload the metadata) probably wouldn't like the videos.
I think that proposing XMPP as an alternative isn't bad if you tell people to enable OMEMO because I think pretty much every XMPP client allows it, even if it requires installing a plugin. But yes, even with that, there's a problem with lack of usage, same with VoIP, social, or other things like that, so obviously, good luck trying to escape the Boomerbook botnet or that Macroshit Tease thing.
BlackWinnerYoshi wrote
Both of their websites are Clownflared and both have cryptocurrency of some sort (Session uses the blockchain for messaging, Status allows sending transactions in a message), not everyone might like that, especially with Session, since you can't technically delete your message after sending...
sgji2p wrote
Use "Conversations" (via F Droid) on Android and use some random free XMPP Server to register at. As far as i've seen OMEMO is on by default. And the client is smooth and simple. Pretty much like Threema. You could obviously also host your own Server or even host it partially or entirely on i2p. Unfortunately most are now either stuck with Telegram or refuse to leave or use anything other than their Whatsapp in the first place.
The ability to create multiple accounts for free might win over some people to XMPP tho.